Tales of Ice and Water
by aymeria
Summary: A collection of Gruvia one-shot and drabble stories varying in themes and ratings which could be interpreted as fluffy, angsty and potentially humorous. LATEST CHAPTER: 'The Best Surprise' - Gray puts his artistic skills to use to surprise Juvia with what turns out to be the best gift she could possibly receive.
1. Do You Remember?

**Author's Note: Hi! Well, I decided to start up a collection for my Gruvia drabbles and one shots. Themes, lengths and ratings vary. I hope you enjoy my little stories!**

 **This first one is really short. I had written it for Gruvia week 2016, and it's actually my first ever Gruvia story ever...yikes xD**

* * *

 **Title: Do You Remember?  
Summary: Of course she remembers how they met.**

* * *

 _"The briefest moment with you_ — _the longest on my mind." - Lang Leav_

* * *

 **Do You Remember?**

"Do you remember?"

The sun shone down on the two of them, showering them with warmth as they lay side by side, watching the clouds drift past. A light breeze swept over, tickling their skin and making the nearby trees move with the wind.

Juvia turned on her side so she could get a better look at him, raising her eyebrows. "Does Juvia remember what, Gray-sama?"

Gray wasn't looking at her. Instead, his gaze was fixed on the sky above, a reminiscent smile on his lips. "Do you remember the first time we met?"

She shot him a mystified look, surprised he could think that she'd ever forget such a day. "Of course Juvia remembers! Juvia could never forget the first time she met Gray-sama," she replied, her thoughts drifting back to a battle of ice and water which ended with the clouds shifting as the rain disappeared, only to reveal an endless stretch of blue sky. "She'll never forget the day you took her rain away."

Hearing her words, Gray glanced in her direction. Blue hair pooled over one shoulder in soft waves, eyes wide—filled with warmth. He squeezed her hand fondly, a lazy smile tugging at his lips as he motioned to the sky above with his free hand. "Gotta say, when I see that blue sky, it reminds me of you."

Her brow furrowed. "Of Juvia?"

When he had first met her, she was so low-spirited, so sad. But when the clouds had parted and the sky had appeared, that moment was forever imprinted in his memory. He'd never forget how Juvia's eyes had lit up in amazement, bewilderment etched onto her face. It changed her, and now that he thought about it, the light from the first time she'd seen the clear sky was still glowing in those blue eyes of hers. It was apparent in the way she moved now, the way she fought with such unwavering purpose and the radiant smile that would accompany each ' _Gray-sama'_ that fell from her lips.

"Yeah," he said. "Of you."


	2. Water Fight

**Author's Note: Back with some more Gruvia! Another relatively short one, written for Gruvia week once again!**

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 **Title: Water Fight  
Summary: ...literally what the title says xD**

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 _"Bluer and brighter than the sea itself."_

* * *

 **Water Fight**

"Gray-sama!"

Slipping and sliding across the golden sand and hoping against hope that her bizarre body movements would throw him off her trail, Juvia ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

"Juvia, the whole point of a fight is for you to actually _face_ me," Gray called after her, catching up swiftly.

The sun was high in the sky, shining down on them as the pair sprinted across the beach, their yells the only source of noise asides from the call of the hungry seagulls and the soft crash of the waves against the shore.

It had been Juvia who had suggested they have a water fight, thinking she was in her element. Complacently, she'd brought down a surge of water, soaking Gray from head to toe before falling to the ground in stitches of laughter.

Raising an eyebrow at her, Gray had gotten back to his feet, running a quick hand through his drenched hair before bringing his hands together. Smirk on his lips, the familiar coolness of ice formed between his hands as he murmured, "Ice make…"

Juvia blinked at him, realisation dawning on her face. With a scream, she had scrambled to her feet, flying off in the other direction without waiting to find out what exactly was being made. She had a feeling she knew anyway; this harmless water fight had just become a battle.

Now, she dodged his attack, stealing a quick glance over her shoulder to see a blur of dark hair, blue shorts and that mischievous smile she loved so much. "Gray-sama's ice is no match for Juvia!" she teased, squealing when another ball of ice flew past, her blue ponytail swinging wildly from side to side at the back of her head.

"Oh yeah? Then why don't you face me like a real opponent?" he called back, pausing to bury his hands in the sand. "Ice make… _floor."_

Just like that, a layer of frost formed over the sand like a sheet, causing Juvia to squeak in surprise as her feet skidded across the ice momentarily before slipping and landing on the ground with a crash

"Shit…" The smug expression on his face had quickly been replaced by one of worry as Gray glided across the ice, experience on his side. "Juvia…you okay?"

Groggily, Juvia sat up, rubbing her head and shivering as her skin prickled with the sudden cold. She flashed him a glare, eyes piercing. "That was not very nice, Gray-sama."

"Yeah, err…maybe I got a little carried away," he replied, looking away and rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry."

He couldn't help it. Just hearing the word 'fight', even in 'water fight', and he was off in attack mode—battling it out like friggin' Natsu had been the one to challenge him. Naturally, he blamed that flame brain for this too. Even when he wasn't around, he was causing problems for him.

"Ah, Gray-sama?"

Gray flicked his gaze back to hers. He furrowed his brow. Her frown had disappeared, replaced by a smile.

That's right. He knew her — she'd never stay mad at him for too long.

But then, she was murmuring something under her breath, raising her hand just slightly, flicking her wrist.

A little too late was when Gray felt something wet under his feet, and with a grunt, he slipped on the ice and fell to the ground too, coaxing a small laugh out of Juvia as she crawled over to him and threw her arms around his neck.

"Looks like Juvia won this round, hm, Gray-sama?"

"Looks like it." He winced, bringing himself up to lean on his elbow before chuckling, tossing his hair out of his eyes. "That was a sly move, Juvia. You just wait until it snows this winter."

Laughing, she picked at the stray strands of hair falling into his eyes, brushing them away gently. "Juvia cannot wait," she told him, planting a small kiss on his nose.


	3. Early Birds

**Author's Note: Hellooo! Here's some Gruvia fluff for you all. This is set during the one year time-skip in which Gray and Juvia lived together...(still not over the fact that this actually happened).**

 **Hope you enjoy, and thank you for all the support so far!**

* * *

 **Title: Early Birds  
Summary: Water fights first thing in the morning are within Juvia's element, but Gray doesn't like losing.**

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 _"I fell in love the way you fall asleep; slowly, then all at once." - John Green_

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 **Early Birds**

Living with Gray for five months had taught Juvia Lockser something: he was not a morning person.

She, on the other hand, was.

Juvia loved mornings. She loved being up bright and early, content with the thought of there being yet another day just waiting to be spent with Gray in their small home together, whether it be grocery shopping, strolling around the town together, completing jobs or just staying in – simply in the company of each other – she didn't mind. Every day was a wonderful one, regardless of what they did.

Today, they had a job to see to. The previous night, both mages had wholeheartedly agreed to assist a client by decorating his holiday resort with fountains and ice sculptures in exchange for some jewels.

At the time, when Juvia had mentioned how they'd have to leave quite early in order to be back home by nightfall, Gray had simply shrugged and flashed a cool smile in her direction, telling her it was no problem whatsoever.

But now, as she stood in the doorway of his room, already dressed for work in navy blue with her hair flowing loosely around her shoulders, she realised with a twinge of alarm that Gray had completely forgotten about today, or, more likely, had chosen to sleep in a little later.

Her hands curled around the doorframe as she peered at him, tilting her head to the side and smiling fondly at the sight.

He looked so peaceful while sleeping, dark hair framing his face in messy spikes, one hand resting on his stomach whilst the other hung slightly off the edge of the bed. The sheets were half covering him, half slipping off, revealing one bare leg whilst the other stayed hidden from view, like he was struggling between the feeling of hot and cold.

 _Such was the life of an ice mage,_ she mused affectionately.

Her heart fluttered at the thought of waking up to this glorious sight _every day_ , and with this thought in mind, she exhaled a deep sigh—it really killed her to have to wake him up when he was sleeping so soundly.

She knocked on the wood, a tender smile on her lips as she whispered, "Gray-sama?"

Nothing.

Gray didn't even stir at the sound of her loving voice.

Juvia frowned. Had the roles been reversed and had she been the one to hear Gray's gentle voice, she would have been up in a heartbeat. In fact, her beloved could probably sneeze and wake her from a deep coma, their love was that strong.

She edged inside the room, hands clasped in front of her chest as she timidly approached him. She tried again. "Gray-sama?"

He hummed, his brow furrowing as he scowled in his sleep.

Progress!

Juvia bent down beside him, folding her arms on the edge of the bed and taking a moment to admire his sharp features before gently brushing back locks of hair from his eyes. "Gray-sama, it's time to wake up…" she murmured in a sing-song voice.

To her horror, Gray didn't hesitate to bat her away, turning on his other side with his back facing her, all the while mumbling incoherent sentences.

Juvia's smile fell from her lips. "Gray-sama! We're going to be late!"

"What you yellin' for so early in the morning?" he groaned irately as Juvia stomped over to the curtains and pulled them apart, allowing light to stream into the room and _friggin' blind him._

"It's almost the afternoon!"

" _Almost_ , right? That means it's still the morning and people _sleep_ in the morning," he griped, yanking the covers over his head to shield himself from the sun _and_ block out the annoying calls of his very own one-of-a-kind freaking blue alarm clock. "Let me sleep, Juvia."

"But Gray-sama, did you forget? We have a job to attend to," she protested, gently prodding his shoulder to keep him from drifting off again. "The client is not going to be happy if we arrive late—"

"Screw the client."

Juvia audibly gasped, appalled. "Gray-sama! We accepted this job! If you're not going to get up—"

"Yeah? What're you gonna do?" he challenged, voice slightly muffled.

She hoped he could breathe under there.

She couldn't risk it.

In one swift movement, she ripped the covers off of him to reveal a scowling Gray in nothing but his boxers, arms folded and dark eyes focused on her in a glare.

Juvia squeaked. "Sorry Gray-sama! You left Juvia no choice."

But he simply sighed, exasperated, before closing his eyes and flipping onto his other side, his back facing her once more. "Nice try, but I'm an ice mage, Juvia. The cold doesn't bother me. Covers or not, I ain't moving," he said flatly.

"But we need to leave!"

"Nah, we'll still make it with plenty of time to spare..."

Hearing his words and glancing to the clock, Juvia huffed heatedly, folding her arms across her chest to watch as he yawned and shuffled around on the bed, making himself comfortable for what would probably stretch out to be another few hours of mindless slumber.

And when the time would come for Gray to _finally_ roll out of bed, she knew he would have to shower, get dressed, pack another set of clothes for when he stripped and misplaced his original outfit, and there was still _breakfast_ to eat too…

Sighing, she flicked her wrist towards him, softly murmuring words under her breath before bringing down a surge of freezing cold water, soaking Gray from head to toe and causing him to jerk upright in bed, panting heavily and staring at her with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"WHAT THE HELL, JUVIA?"

A giggle bubbled in her chest but Juvia tried her best to stifle it, pressing her lips together and blinking at him with feigned innocence. "Juvia thought the cold didn't bother you, Gray-sama?"

Raking a hand through his drenched hair, Gray swore, his eyes zeroing in on her in a deathly glare.

Now that she thought it through, she had been very bold attacking Gray like that—she hoped she wouldn't come to regret it.

"You're going to regret that, Juvia," he said threateningly, swinging a dripping leg over the side of the bed and keeping his eyes locked on her the whole time, like a predator eyeing its prey before the chase.

Juvia gulped, lacing her hands behind her back and quickly turning from one shade of pink to the next under the intensity of his stare. Her heart racing with anticipation, she slowly backtracked out of the room…

As soon as he was on his feet, she was out the door, flying off without another glance back, squeals of laughter rippling through her chest as he chased after her, very fast for someone who just rolled out of bed, she noted.

She stole a quick glance over her shoulder to see a blur of dark hair, blue boxers and a mischievous smile.

Dodging furniture left, right and centre, she ran from one room to the next in their small home, yelping his name in-between bursts of laughter while he gained speed, calling out to her in a daring voice, "Come on, you land a surprise attack on me and expect me not to fight back?!"

Before she had a chance to see it coming, she felt his weight crash against her back and they both fell to the floor, Juvia with a startled yelp and Gray with a victorious laugh as he tackled her to the ground, pinning her beneath him.

"AHH, Gray-sama is all wet!"

Gray smirked. "Oh yeah? And whose fault is that?" He ruffled his hair, spraying her with water whilst Juvia protested in an unconvincing fit of giggles, squirming beneath him and trying to wriggle away, though it was no use. He had her caged between both his arms and entirely under his mercy.

"You lose," he said smugly.

"No, Gray-sama! Juvia managed to get you out of bed which was her aim. That makes her the winner!"

He shrugged, his face splitting into a smile. "Okay, I'll give you that. You won _that_ battle but now—" He paused, bringing his face down towards hers to watch her closely with daring eyes, "—do you accept defeat?"

This time, she said nothing, their laughter subsiding and the room silent asides from the soft patter of water dripping to the floor in cold beads.

Gray didn't move. She didn't move.

And at the sight of her pink cheeks, he suddenly became aware of how close they were to one another. Her body was pressed against his, her chest rising and falling rhythmically beneath him, her hands on his bare skin—one placed on his shoulder, the other against his chest from earlier when she had tried to pry him off.

He found his eyes roving over her features slowly, from the spill of her blue hair to the curve of her cheekbones and the questioning look in her eyes as she watched him watch her. His eyes travelled down to her lips, gaze lingering on her lower lip.

He had always acknowledged how pretty Juvia was, that he'd noted from the day he met her. But living with her was something else entirely. He'd grown accustomed to her, to the point where simply hearing her laughter would crack a smile out of him, and seeing her in the kitchen first thing in the morning, her hair tied back in a ponytail while she hummed to herself quietly, would already put his day off to a great start.

He didn't know how it had happened.

One day, he had returned home from his first meeting with Erza about the Avatar infiltration quite late. He'd turned the keys in the lock, stepping inside to be greeted by a dark room. It was pretty late; he hadn't expected Juvia to be awake anyway.

Flicking the light on, he'd stopped in his tracks, his eyes focusing in on the view before him.

Juvia was curled up on the couch, her hair fanned out underneath her and her eyes closed, a small smile wavering on her lips as though she was dreaming something worthwhile.

She had fallen asleep waiting for him to come back home. He couldn't help but smile at the sight, shrugging off his jacket and draping it over her.

This had been his first solo trip since they had moved in together and despite only being separated for a day, seeing her made him realise something: he'd missed her.

But now, eyelids hanging low over his eyes, he suddenly felt the ardent urge to kiss her senseless because in that moment, he had forgotten why they were on the floor, bodies flush and eyes fixed on each other. All he knew was where they were, this was how they were and he wanted nothing more than to press his lips against hers and melt into her.

He didn't know how it had happened—but it had and he was falling fast for her without having packed a parachute.

Gray tore his gaze away from hers, getting to his feet and ruffling his damp hair out of his eyes. With a clear of his throat, he set his mouth in his usual scowl, keeping his eyes trained on anything but her and ignoring the burning of his cheeks. "And now, I'm going to take an agonisingly slow shower just to piss you off, so we'll be even more late."

Juvia blinked at him curiously before scrambling to her feet with a squelch. "Ah, looks like Juvia may need to shower after Gray-sama too..."

"Hm." He turned on her, taking in the wet patches marking her clothes and grinning. "Wanna join me?"

"Gray-sama and Juvia…showering… _together_?" Blushing deeper than before, she squeaked once, before promptly fainting on the spot.

"J-JUVIA? JUVIA? SPEAK TO ME! I—I WAS JUST KIDDING, JUVIA!"

They ended up being late to the job anyway.


	4. The Sounds He'd Remember

**Author's Note: First ever attempt at angst...oh no. HERE GOES. Another for Gruvia week! This time, the prompt was 'sounds' and I tried to put a little spin on it ^.^**

* * *

 **Title: The Sounds He'd Remember  
** **Rating: T  
Summary: There were some sounds he'd hold onto and some he'd never forget, no matter how hard he tried to.**

* * *

 _"She looked at me softly_ — _that's how she stabs souls." - j.d.a._

* * *

 **The Sounds He'd Remember**

It started as a drizzle and then turned into a storm. The first sound Gray Fullbuster ever heard while meeting Juvia was the rain. So much rain that the sound itself had blurred into one long, whirring noise.

Damn, he hated the rain. It was so gloomy. Nothing like a freaking hurricane appearing out of nowhere to distract you from the task at hand.

"Drip drip drop…" was the next sound he heard. He turned his head towards the source of the noise, his eyes resting upon a woman clad in navy blue, her face as solemn as a mask as she held a pink umbrella over her head.

Looks like he had finally run into a member of Phantom Lord's Element Four. Now it was game on.

* * *

She was a member of Fairy Tail. She had long blue hair that fell down her back in soft waves and eyes the colour of the ocean. Her once monotone voice was now cheery, and when she smiled, her whole face would light up with joy.

"Gray-sama." His name would roll off her tongue and he couldn't remember a time where she said it without adoration. "Juvia found a job request! And she was wondering whether you'd like to come along with her…"

Every now and then, he'd say yes, and Juvia would throw her arms around him, eyes closed—crinkled into a smile—face flushing an even darker shade of pink

"We're going to have so much fun, Gray-sama!" she'd say, squeezing him tight.

"Yeah, well, we make a good team," was what he'd say, taking her hands in his and peeling her off of him. "Let's get going."

* * *

Other times, her voice uttering his name would wash over him like a calm wave, filling him with a certain serenity he had longed for.

"Gray-sama…" Her voice was gentle, quiet, as she sunk to the ground with her arms wrapped around him, pulling him into her soft embrace.

He wasn't one to let his emotions make an appearance. He kept his emotions concealed behind walls for no one to see. Yet, here he was, sobs ripping out of his chest as he held onto her like she was the last valuable thing left in his life. Maybe she was.

* * *

He heard her call his name, not in that sweet, melodic voice he associated her with, but instead in one filled with fear as she sent a flood of water rushing towards him with tremendous speed. The water slashed at the opponent who was slowly creeping up behind him and sent him flying to the ground in a slumped heap.

Gray's eyes locked with hers for a fraction of a second, his lip tugging up in a smirk as he nodded his appreciation. She returned the smile with closed eyes and bright cheeks, her blue hair plastered to her face and her pale skin covered in cuts and grazes.

Even in the midst of battle, she always had a smile saved just for him.

But the warmth of her smile didn't last long as the next sound ripped through her chest.

A piercing scream filled the air, making his blood run cold.

Time seemed to slow down as the surge of dark lightning engulfed her, causing her to throw her head back and shriek in pain.

He couldn't get the sound out of his head. It was playing in his mind over and over like a stuck record, ringing in his ears.

And there was nothing he could do.

Everything around him had become completely silent, completely still. The chaos, destruction, all movement had slowed down to a halt as she fell to the ground, and the only thing he was aware of was the dull ache forming in his chest and the fear seeping deep into his bones.

His feet were like heavy weights anchoring him to the ground. He couldn't move… _why couldn't he move?_ He wanted to yell for Wendy, Chelia, _anyone_ to come heal her, to save her but all he could manage to do was choke out her name in ragged breaths.

"Wendy!" he finally yelled, voice strained as though there were shards of glass lining his throat, each call of the young dragon slayer's name paining him more than the last.

She wasn't around. It was no use, and he was running out of time.

Dragging himself over, he collapsed to his knees beside her. Blood seeped out of holes from her charred clothes, her tangled blue hair fanned out under her, bangs matted to her face—and she was still smiling faintly at him, though the smile didn't quite reach her eyes, which seemed distant, dull, filled with sadness, and it was so unlike her, it made his heart twist in pain at the sight.

He placed his trembling hands over her body, desperately trying to ice her wounds, all the while repeating her name over and over in muffled cries. Maybe he could save her or ease her pain or at least make himself _useful_ to her in some way—he couldn't just sit there and watch as the blood continued to drain from her face, her body. He _couldn't._

"Gray-sama…" she murmured, slowly mustering up her strength to put a hand on his cheek.

Gray didn't realise he was crying until she stroked his cheek, wiping the tears that fell from his eyes and hushing him softly. "It's alright, Gray-sama."

She was the one soothing _him,_ telling _him_ it was alright, and it was so in her nature to do so—never once putting herself before her loved ones, and this time, he _hated_ her for it because it broke his heart clean in two.

He put his hand over hers, shaking as another sob ripped through his chest. "Not you too…"

Her face softened at his words, tears in her eyes. Too many people had already left him broken. She couldn't do it too, not to him, not when she loved him with all her heart and knew how much pain he would be in.

But the tiredness was slowly pulling her in.

Gently wrapping his arms around her trembling body, he brought her closer to him, burying his face into her soft hair and taking in the way it smelled like fresh rain—but that familiar smell of hers was tinged with the scent of burning, and the cries left him harder than ever before because something so known to him was tainted and disappearing, and he couldn't do anything about it except hold her.

In the midst of everything, he listened to her soft pants against his chest, each breath coming out unevenly as she struggled for air. Her life was a flickering candle in the wind, and a storm had passed by. A storm had passed by and it had rained but this time, he hadn't been there to stop it like he should have.

"Juvia?" he said softly, his voice breaking at the thought of his next words. "Juvia, you already know my answer, don't you? You've always known my answer."

It wasn't supposed to be like this. He wasn't supposed to say these words so desperately, so sadly. The answer was to be saved for after the war, during celebrations when he knew for a fact they could be happy together because they both had their whole lives ahead of them, ready to be lived to the fullest.

But never again would he see her smile. Never again would he see those blue eyes, so full of life and love. And never again would he hold her close to him like this, like he had itched to do so many times in the past.

He couldn't even see a future without her; she was the one constant thing in his life, always by his side, always supporting him through everything and it just _wasn't supposed to be like this._

Quietly…so quietly that he could have imagined it, the last sound he heard coming from Juvia's lips were the same three words that would haunt him for the rest of his life: _I love you._


	5. Him and Her

**Author's Note: I bring with me some Gruvia angst packed with a short and fluffy scene in-between! This is another one set during the one year time-skip where they lived together. Enjoy ^.^**

* * *

 **Title: Him and Her  
Summary: What was once a home, filled with so much joy and laughter, was now an empty house.  
**

* * *

 _"I feel like I've swallowed a cloudy sky." - Haruki Murakami_ **  
**

* * *

 **Him and Her**

It was raining.

Pellets of rain poured down from the sky in heavy bursts, the sound now a resonating, whirring noise that she'd grown accustomed to over time.

She wondered how some people could ever think of the rain as anything but a teller of misery. How could something that fell so heavily be described as beautiful? Rain and sorrow was all she'd ever known for so long; as far as she was concerned, the two went hand in hand.

Juvia sat beside the window, one hand following the trail of a raindrop making its path down to the ledge, the other curled around the silver chain of his necklace, cold to the touch, the spike of the cross digging into her palm and piercing her in a way that still wasn't nearly as painful as the realisation that he had left her.

Three.

That was the number of months that had passed since Gray had disappeared.

Juvia didn't know where he was or what he was doing or what had caused him to leave her.

She hoped he was safe.

The thought of him in danger clawed at her from the inside out, making her stomach churn with fear and her body feel numb with dread.

Of course, she had searched. From the first day, when she had awoken to find his silver necklace pooled beside her pillow, she had known something was wrong. Gray had been coming and going for well over a month now, leaving for days on end, returning without a single word regarding his travels but Juvia didn't mind being given no explanation. She knew he'd come home and he always did.

Except this time, he left her his necklace. The necklace he never once took off. Even when the rest of his clothes would disappear, that necklace would still be chained around him, constant and unwavering. It had been left behind like a promise, like a goodbye that words couldn't form. He was gone.

She had searched painstakingly _everywhere_. His name escaped her lips in broken cries, frantic calls, anxious pleas, but they were always met with nothing but an empty silence that made her heart sink in her chest.

During the first month of his disappearance, she went out every single day, searching the town and nearby areas for a familiar head of dark spikes but each time her gaze would rest upon someone with a crippling wave of hope, he'd turn around to be someone other than her Gray-sama and once again, the sadness would consume her even deeper than before.

Sometimes, she'd return to their home with this strong feeling that he'd be there waiting for her, just as she'd been waiting for him for so long. But every time she turned the knob of the door and entered their house with a racing heart, she'd be greeted by a deafening silence instead of his lazy smile.

Every now and then, she allowed herself to visit his bedroom. He hadn't taken anything with him. It was exactly as he'd left it, as if he'd be coming home one day. She believed he would. Juvia would tidy his room, dust the furniture, open the window to let a stream of fresh air in before giving herself a few moments to just stand there, taking in the faint scent of him, familiar and reassuring to her.

In the second month, the money they had pooled together overtime had begun to run out. She left the house in search of solo jobs, remaining professional with her navy dress creaseless, hair flowing loose over her shoulders and a dim smile fixed on her face though her eyes spoke of sleepless nights and endless worry.

By the third month, the rain had returned but he never did.

* * *

 _Juvia sprung through the front gate, carrying boxes that were piled so high, she couldn't see over the top of them at all. Instead, she looked like a walking cardboard box with ivory coloured legs peeking out from underneath as she wandered around blindly in search of the front door._

 _Stumbling here and there, her ears picked up on an exasperated sigh and before she knew it, the top two boxes had been taken out of her grasp to reveal the sight of him, all dark hair, dark eyes and a scowl etched onto his face._

 _She couldn't help but beam brightly, smiling in the only way she knew how to when it came to him. "Thank you, Gray-sama! Juvia couldn't see a thing."_

 _Gray said nothing. Instead, he frowned, eyes trained on the top box he was carrying. Peeking out of it was a small plush hand pointed in his direction, as if mocking him._

 _He balanced the boxes in the crook of his elbow, his other hand diving in to dig through the contents, only to pull out a doll that mirrored the same flat expression carved into his own face._

 _"Really?" he asked, deadpan._

 _Juvia blinked at him. "What is it, Gray-sama?"_

 _He sighed, throwing the Gray-doll back into its box with the other stitched copies before shooting her a solemn look. "Juvia, we're living together now. You don't need these dolls. You have the real thing standing right in front of you."_

 _Juvia immediately flushed crimson, a warm smile breaking out across her face at the thought. It still hadn't sunk in. She was going to be living with Gray. She had never imagined such a day would come, yet there they were, carrying boxes into what was their new home. Her heart soared high into the clouds at just the concept of sharing a life with him, even if just for a little while._

 _Gray cleared his throat, his own cheeks tinted pink as he spun around to mutter, "What I mean is that I don't wanna walk around our house and just see my face everywhere, starin' back at me."_

 _"Juvia understands, Gray-sama."_

 _"Yeah? Great. Am I alright to toss these in the trash then?"_

 _"Gray-sama!"_

 _Gray tried again, more careful this time, exhaling a deep sigh for all his troubles. "…the shed?"_

 _Juvia nodded with delight. "Juvia will help!"_

 _"What?" At this point, he turned to look at her, really look at her, his eyebrows furrowing as he peered at her suspiciously. "…you're telling me this_ ain't _the only box?"_

 _She simply smiled, taking his hand in hers and pulling him to the shed where the many Gray plushies would set up camp for what would become the next six months._

* * *

But now, three months into him leaving her and despite not having the real Gray with her anymore, she still hadn't so much as looked at the Gray plushies.

She didn't think she could bear it.

The reality was that they'd never compare to the silk of his hair from the time he'd fallen asleep on the couch and she'd amusedly braided his hair.

They'd never compare to the way he smiled at her in the morning after having found his favourite breakfast already prepared and waiting for him on the table.

They'd never compare to the sound of his laughter, so pure and filled with such mirth, or his voice or his movements or his smell…

She bit back a sob at the realisation that there wasn't a single trace of him in this house anymore.

Three months in, his smell had faded from his room, the garden they had so lovingly made had died and he was still away, having taken broken fragments of her with him.

The rain was her only companion, having driven out all the other villagers too. Somehow, the rain always found her, even when she thought she'd finally paid her final goodbyes to it.

She was all alone—she'd never felt this alone.

What was once a home, filled with so much joy and laughter, was now an empty house.

* * *

Lying down on his bed in his Avatar chambers, Gray closed his eyes, exhausted after another day of pretending to be someone he was not. It had been three months since he'd left Juvia without a word and every night, his thoughts would quickly formulate into the all too familiar blue haired mage.

He still remembered every little detail about her.

Her hair—the way it pooled around her shoulders like threads loosened from the blue sky.

Her scent—the way she smelled like fresh rain. The kind of rain that falls after a long, hot summer and makes you want to stop whatever you're doing just to go out and dance in it for a while.

Her smile—she was always smiling. And each time she smiled at him, he could have sworn her whole face glowed like she was painted with rays of sunshine.

But the feature his thoughts lingered on longest were her eyes.

Her eyes were the colour of the deepest ocean and when she fixed her gaze with his, the only thing that crossed his fervent mind was how he wouldn't mind drowning in them just this once, just for a little while.

Sighing heavily, he ran a tired hand down his face as the same painful thought edged its way back to the front of his mind: he missed her.


	6. The Little Matchmaker

**Author's Note: Not one of my best...but just something light (and hopefully humorous xD).**

 **I've had this headcanon that Asuka is an evil little matchmaker ever since the omake where Natsu and Lucy had to babysit her! This time, it's Gray and Juvia's turn, mwahahaha.**

* * *

 **Title: The Little Matchmaker  
Summary: Asuka could hear wedding bells in Gray and Juvia's future.**

* * *

 _"Children aren't coloring books. You don't get to fill them with your favourite colors." - Khaled Hosseini_

* * *

 **The Little Matchmaker**

He wasn't sure how but in some way or another, he'd found himself in the park, eating sandwiches made of Juvi bread and listening to little Asuka's never-ending story about the time she went shooting bandits with Lucy and flame-brain Natsu.

Her small hands were clasped together, index fingers pointed out like a gun as she excitedly continued on with her story, making _'pew-pew'_ noises and lowering her voice in attempts to make it sound threatening, when really, it was as intimidating as a box of Exceeds.

Gray tried listening, he really did. He tried holding in the yawn that threatened to escape his lips and he tried to keep his eyes from drifting closed but there was only so much interest you could pour into a six-year old's long-winded tales that seemed to last longer than one of Erza's agonising lectures on his stripping habit.

So instead, he let his eyes travel to Juvia. Lately, he'd discovered that his eyes liked doing that a lot.

She was kneeling on the picnic blanket, hands resting on her knees and blue eyes alight with childlike excitement as she listened to Asuka go on _and on_ , as if she was somehow mesmerised by the little girl's animated way of storytelling.

He figured she had to be _acting_ this interested, surely. What other logical explanation was there? Asuka's story was as predictable as Natsu was stupid. Even so, Gray had to hand it to her. She was pretty great with kids; a lot better than he was.

"…and then I gave mama and papa their memento and they were really happy! I earned the money for it all by myself," Asuka finished, a proud smile wide on her face.

Juvia laughed before leaning forward to fold Asuka in one of her tight hugs. "That was a wonderful story, Asuka-chan! Juvia thinks your parents would have been very proud of you, taking on a group of bandits like that. How brave! Right, Gray-sama?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. That was a great thing you did, Asuka," he said, averting his gaze from Juvia to shoot her a lazy smile.

Asuka beamed at them, stuffing the last sandwich in her mouth before springing to her feet with a bounce. "I wanna go on the swing!" she chirped, eyes zeroing in on Gray who was happily sipping away at a juice pouch, oblivious of the little girl's piercing gaze. " _Gray_ , can you push me?"

"Err…"

"Please, please!"

Juvia laughed once more, stretching across the picnic blanket to gather up all the leftovers. "Gray-sama, you go with Asuka-chan. Juvia will pack these things away and catch up with you."

Half-heartedly, he got to his feet, handing Juvia his drink and giving her one last pleading look that screamed ' _please don't leave me alone with her'_ but she chose now of all times to take no notice of him, her face turned towards Asuka who was already halfway across the park, dark braids flying behind her like the wings of a bird.

Gray sighed defeatedly, trailing towards the swing-set with his hands buried deep in his pockets and a scowl set on his face.

It wasn't that he didn't _like_ kids; he just had no experience with them. So, when the Connells had asked him and Juvia to babysit Asuka, he was slightly surprised to find himself nodding.

Spending time with Juvia was something he did on a daily basis. Nowadays, he really enjoyed being with her to the point that if he didn't see her, he'd feel like his day was missing something. Something blue and loud and cheerful. After living together for months, he had grown accustomed to her company. It was like they were a package deal now and Gray didn't mind at all.

Even so, babysitting was a new thing for them both. So far, the walk to the park and the proceeding picnic was a success. No casualties, no crying and Gray hadn't stripped _once._ The afternoon was going well which shouldn't have come across as a shock to him. He got on great with Wendy who was a kid, so how hard could it have been to take care of Asuka?

By the time he caught up with her, she had already plopped onto the swing, her feet kicking in the air, wiggling around impatiently. "Come _on,_ Gray!"

He sighed, making his way to stand behind her. He gave her a push.

"Higher! Higher!"

"Alright, alright. I'm pushin'…" he muttered, putting more force into his arms so she soared high in the sky, a cheerful giggle rippling through her every time she swooped up.

"Look, Juvia! I'm flying just like Happy!" Asuka called to the water mage who paused in her tidying to wave enthusiastically at them, a smile bright on her face.

Gray couldn't help but smile back, his lip quirking up at the corner. This wasn't too bad—just about bearable.

"Juvia sure is pretty, huh, Gray?"

"Yeah." He paused.

 _Did she just ask him…_

"Wait, what'd you say?"

"Are you and Juvia in love?"

Gray's cheeks flamed red.

He wasn't sure he'd heard her right. No, he decided he _couldn't_ have heard her right. His ears were playing tricks on him, that's all.

" _Are you?"_ she pressed.

But his ears were fine and this little runt had actually asked him if he loved Juvia, and he _could_ tell her that seeing her smile made his chest feel tighter and hearing her laugh pulled on his heartstrings achingly, but he wasn't about to reveal his innermost feelings to a six-year old before telling Juvia herself so he kept his mouth shut and carried on pushing her on the swing.

Maybe if he kept quiet for long enough, she'd forget the question. Kids had short-term memories, right? Just like fish. Yeah. He was sure Levy had mentioned something like that before.

"You _are_! You're in love!"

Except this kid was no ordinary kid. She was the daughter of two Fairy Tail mages who were practically eating each other's faces off at every damn opportunity. No wonder their kid had a lot of adult ideas on her mind.

"Ain't you a little young to be asking this sort of thing?" he said tensely, hoping to throw her off with a question of his own.

"My mama and papa are in love. They kiss all the time. Do you do that with Juvia?"

"NO!" Gray backtracked away from the swing like the ropes had scorched him, and maybe they had, the heat quickly rushing to his face and spreading to the tips of his ears like wildfire. "What–what's with these questions all of a sudden?"

"You _do_ love each other!" she said, before repeating the words in a smug sing-song voice at the top of her lungs for everyone to hear.

 _Oh no._

"Oi! Stop that! Little runt—"

For a second, he played with the temptation of pushing her so high, she'd soar off into infinity and take that statement with her. Maybe he would have actually done it, had it not been for Juvia who appeared out of nowhere like she usually did, all blue hair, wide eyes and smiles.

Gray stiffened as she stood beside him.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Asuka-chan?"

"Yeah, it's like being here with mama and papa!"

"Well, we ain't your parents," Gray said quickly, an edge to his voice.

Damn it. What was he doing getting all riled up over a little kid for? He clamped his mouth shut and prayed it would stay shut.

But it was too late. Juvia turned to look at him, her eyebrows knitting together in question. She opened her mouth to say something, only for her words to be drowned out by Asuka who was yapping once again, thrashing around on the swing and calling to them in a chirpy voice.

"I wanna get off now! Can we get ice cream instead?"

Ice cream. Once again, the cold and frosty had come to his rescue.

Juvia's previous words remained long forgotten as she helped Asuka off the swing, entwining their hands together. "Which flavour does Asuka-chan like best?"

"Vanilla with lots and lots of sprinkles!"

"Perhaps they'll have it at the ice-cream van!" Juvia mused, bending down to straighten Asuka's hat over her windswept hair. "Let's take a look."

Gray couldn't help notice how natural she seemed with Asuka. She was so calm and nurturing and so… _oblivious._ Third strongest female mage in the guild his ass. Where were her instincts? Why couldn't she see that this little girl was a friggin' ball of terror?

"Gray-sama?"

He blinked, snapping out of his thoughts with a ruffle of his hair. "What? Oh, yeah. I'm coming…"

* * *

The three of them were sat on the park bench, Asuka squished in the middle with Gray and Juvia on either side of her. Gray couldn't help think that they looked like a little family, sat side by side eating ice cream contentedly together. For a minute, he seemed to forget that Asuka was actually a demon disguised as a little cowgirl.

She lapped away at her cone, her mouth covered in rainbow sprinkles that didn't help to prove Gray's point of her being pure evil. "Papa and mama said you guys lived together. Is that true?"

"Oh yes!" Juvia said brightly, sneaking a shy glance at him. "Gray-sama and Juvia spent six months together."

Asuka didn't miss the way they were looking at each other. She tilted her head to the side innocently. "So how come you don't live together now? Don't you love each other anymore?"

Gray's ice cream fell to the floor with a deafening splat.

His face turned stark red.

"It's alright, Gray-sama. You can share with Juvia."

"No…s'fine."

Juvia sighed, reaching forward with her half-eaten ice cream, a bashful pink colouring her cheeks. "If you don't want to share, you can have it all. Juvia doesn't mind! Here."

"No really, it's fine—"

"Gray-sama, Juvia _insists_ — _"_

A little giggle rose up between them, causing them to stop and look down at Asuka who was peering at them both from underneath her hat, a smug expression plain on her face.

"Are you two _married?_ "

"WHAT?"

Juvia's ice cream also dropped to the floor with a splat.

"Married?" she squeaked, face quickly turning from one shade of pink to the next. He could have sworn he saw steam rising out of her ears too. He was losing her.

Meanwhile, his own face felt like it was on fire. "WE'RE NOT MARRIED!" Gray snapped.

"But then why did you live together for so long? Mama and papa said that when two people love each other a lot, they get married and then live together and have _babies_ — _"_

"We were just crashin' in the same place, that's all!" he protested, up on his feet, sweatdropping at the sight of Juvia's hands flying to her face in a squeal.

She cupped her pink cheeks, eyelashes fluttering dreamily. "Though, Juvia dreams of the day she'll become a bride!"

"You'd make a really pretty bride just like my mama!" Asuka nodded.

"DON'T ENCOURAGE HER!"

"Thank you, Asuka-chan! You'd make a very cute _bridesmaid_ —"

"A bridesmaid? Uwaah!"

Gray paled. They were treading towards dangerous territory now, a topic he was not yet ready to discuss with even himself, let alone Juvia and a little kid. "Let's cut this trip short and head back to the guild."

"Will my mama be a bridesmaid too?"

"Of course! Juvia will have _many_ bridesmaids—"

Great. Just _great._ Asuka had dragged Juvia down to her demon realm too. Though, knowing Juvia, she probably went willingly with freshly baked cookies and a head full of fantasies to explore.

He resisted the urge to groan, instead dipping into his energy reserves to muster up his most _patient_ tone. "It's gettin' pretty damn late…"

"There's also Erza-san, Lucy-san, Meredy-san…" Juvia continued on, ticking off each name with a tap of her finger, cheeks flushed and eyes dancing with ideas.

 _Was he friggin' invisible now?_

"I get the feeling Bisca and Alzack will be back by now—" he griped through gritted teeth.

"Don't forget Wendy!" Asuka added with a clap of her hands.

"Yes! And Wendy-chan—"

"And the rest of the whole friggin' guild by the sounds of it! CAN WE GO BACK NOW?" Gray exhaled a deep sigh for all his troubles, running a tired hand down his face. It was time to turn to plan B. If this failed, he would gladly accept defeat and gush about his damned wedding with them.

He scooped Asuka up into his arms, balancing her weight on his shoulders. "Asuka, how 'bout we race Juvia back to the guild?"

The little girl squealed excitedly; a positive sign. She pulled her cowgirl hat low over her head, slipping small hands into his hair. "Alright! Let's go, Mr. Horsey!"

Gray scowled. "Mr. _Horsey_?"

Juvia laughed in delight, trailing after them with the picnic basket, blanket and Gray's jacket neatly draped over her arm. "Gray-sama is so good with children!"

"Yeah, yeah. Let's head back now," he said, ignoring the flame of his cheeks.

Asuka giggled, her fingers grasping tightly at tufts of dark hair. "Giddy-up, Mr. Horsey!"

" _Ow!_ Be careful, would ya? Little runt…"

* * *

Bisca lifted her daughter into her arms, cradling Asuka close to her. "Thanks for takin' care of our little girl, Gray and Juvia. We hope she wasn't too much of a handful!"

' _Got that right,_ ' Gray thought to himself, folding his arms tersely over his chest and wondering just how many locks of hair he'd lost solely on the way back to the guild.

"Not at all! We had a lot of fun together," Juvia replied with a smile, eyes closed and cheeks pink from the race back to the guild. Of course, she'd lost. There was no beating Team Asuka and Mr. Horsey when Mr. Horsey was so keen to return back home—especially when the horse rider was ripping Gray's hair out with every passing minute.

Asuka snickered. "Guess what, mama? Juvia said we can be bridesmaids at her and Gray's wedding!"

Alzack clapped an amiable hand over Gray's shoulder. "You finally proposed, huh? Congrats!"

"WHAT? No, that isn't what—" He blinked, his eyes slowly drifting to Asuka with horror.

The rumours were true; Natsu and Lucy were right. The little girl was a matchmaker from hell. She had first tried to set those two up, only for it to end with Natsu kissing Happy, (probably traumatised for life) and now it was his and Juvia's turn to share in the embarrassment.

"Good on you! It's about time!" Bisca said with a smile while Asuka smirked at them smugly, small hands clasped around her mother.

Gray paled. He was ready to disappear off the face of Earthland, even off the face of friggin' Edolas. "You got it all wrong—"

"What we riotin' about?" a gruff voice asked and all eyes turned to Gajeel Redfox who ambled over to them with a wolfish grin carved into his face, one pointed fang peeking out from under his lip.

"Gray and Juvia are getting married!"

 _Shit._

Gajeel's pierced eyebrows shot up in bewilderment before scrunching up in pure unadulterated _rage_. "THEY'RE WHAT?!" He spun around to Juvia who had been watching the event unfold with wide, wondering eyes. His own eyes looked like they were ready to bulge out of their sockets. "Rain woman…ARE YOU SHITTIN' ME? _THIS_ GUY?"

She clasped her hands in front of her chest, a fresh blush spreading across her cheeks. "Juvia is surprised too! Oh, _Gray-sama_ — _"_

" _THAT_ STRIPPIN' PRICK?!"

"Look, that's not true—" Gray started, only to be knocked to the ground by something hard, heavy and _metallic._ The last thing he wanted to see was a familiar flash of red and silver armour, yet there she was, towering over him with her face twisted in fury.

"YOU WILL NOT GET MARRIED BEFORE ME!" Erza roared, face blazing as she glared down at Gray.

"I AIN'T GONNA!"

And just when he thought it couldn't possibly get any worse, it did, his eyes focusing in on Juvia whose lower lip trembled, her eyes quickly pooling with tears. "Juvia—Juvia will never become a bride?"

He didn't want to see her _cry_ , damn it all.

Gray groaned, letting his head drop to the floor in defeat. He almost wished Erza had actually knocked him out cold.


	7. Movie Nights

**Author's Note: Hey guys! So, finally got some time to write today after so longggg. I'm such a sucker for scenarios set over the one-year timeskip so here's another one! Hope you like this little piece, I'd appreciate any feedback ^.^**

* * *

 **Title: Movie Nights  
Summary: He thought to himself once more how he loved movie nights, maybe even a little more than he previously did.**

* * *

 _"Now I know being close to you was never about the proximity." - Lang Leav_

* * *

 **Movie Nights**

They were sat on the couch together, watching a horror movie Juvia had insisted she'd be fine with. Though, Gray knew better. He knew she'd much rather watch some soapy romantic crap with a cheesy ending where the boy and girl finally overcome all their hardships and fall in love, living happily ever after. He also knew from the way she was curled up under the blanket, trembling, that she'd only agreed to this horror film for his enjoyment.

Except what she failed to realise was that her reactions were what made it enjoyable for him.

Gray stole a quick glance at her from the corner of his eye, finding her face drenched in fear, the blanket draped over her whole body and brought up to her chin as though it would conceal her from the menacing smiles of their TV lacrima.

He had to hand it to her, she was doing pretty well. A couple of desperate sleeve-pulls and a few terror-filled gasps, sure, but forty minutes into the movie and she was still sat tensely by his side, having not made a single move to jump into his lap and bury her face into his shoulder.

What was taking her so damn long?

Raising a hand to his mouth, he suppressed the amused smirk working on his lips. He'd seen the movie enough times to know what was coming next: the mighty jump-scare was approaching.

Beside him, he could hear Juvia whispering under her breath, her eyes growing wider with terror as the scene continued on. Muffled by the blanket, her voice was barely audible as she urgently told the protagonist not to go inside the chamber—

But he'd watched enough horror movies in his time to know that they never listened to the voice of reason.

Juvia screamed an ear-splitting screech, her body a flying bundle of blankets and blue hair as she crashed into Gray's side, burrowing herself into his chest.

"Something wrong?" he asked, grinning smugly to himself.

"Juvia doesn't like this movie!" she cried, hanging onto him tighter, her fingers scrunched up in the folds of his shirt as if holding onto him for dear life.

He frowned. "But you helped choose it."

"Juvia regrets that decision deeply!"

He chuckled quietly, an arm stretching around her shoulders to draw her nearer to him. "Hey, you can't back out now. It's _just_ getting to the good part. Later, these guys come back to life as zombies. Don't wanna miss that—"

" _Gray-sama!"_ At the sight of another monster on the screen, she squeaked, turning her face away and nestling closer to Gray, who let her, enjoying the feel of her tucked away in his arms.

He loved movie nights.

* * *

It was dark in his room and he couldn't see a thing, but lazy as he was, he also couldn't be bothered to switch the light on, so with a yawn, Gray stripped off his clothes, leaving nothing but boxers as he pulled back the covers of his bed and slipped inside.

The movie was a lot longer than he remembered it being, ending with Juvia falling asleep in his lap once the thrill scenes had finally subsided, growing heavy against him with even breaths. Gently, he'd laid her down on the couch, draping the blanket over her sleeping figure before trudging to the bathroom to brush his teeth and get ready for bed.

Propping a hand behind his head, he smirked to himself, sorting through other horror films he could potentially watch with her the next time movie night rolled around. Maybe _The Conjuring_ or perhaps a classic like _The Silence of the Lambs —_ whichever sounded less ominous to her, he supposed.

As he lay there in bed, contentedly sifting through his thoughts, the covers shifted behind him and Gray suddenly felt the haunting sensation that he wasn't alone in the room. It was like a shadow he couldn't shake, and the thought had his heart hammering in his chest. He slowly turned around in his bed, positive that he'd find that he wasn't the only one lying there.

Through the darkness, his adjusted eyes caught a glimpse of two specks of blue watching him, eerily close to his own face. She smiled and opened her mouth to speak but he was already yelling.

" _Juvia?!_ " He jolted up in bed, staring down at her with wide, disbelieving eyes. "You scared the crap outta me! What the hell are you _doing_ here?"

The smile fell from her face as quickly as it had appeared. She sat upright, her fingers fidgeting with the covers of his bed and the blood quickly rushing to her face. "Sorry, Gray-sama. Juvia was afraid."

"Why? Because of the movie?" A few beats of silence passed between them before Gray sighed, passing a hand through his hair. He tipped her chin up with a flick of his finger, bringing her gaze to meet his. "Look, Juvia. It's fake. Nothing's coming to get you, you'll be _fine,"_ he told her, hoping his words were as reassuring as he tried to make them seem.

She eyed him momentarily. "You're not afraid?"

"No, and you shouldn't be either," he said, dropping his gaze to his hand which was resting in-between them both. "You know we've gotta catch the early train for tomorrow's job. You need to get some shut-eye—well, you and me both."

He couldn't meet her eyes, not when he could sense that she was waiting for something else, something _more_ , but there was nothing he could bring himself to say—not at the moment.

Juvia broke the silence with a resigned sigh before peeling back the covers and standing up. Reluctantly, his gaze tracked her movements as she shuffled across his room, her steps light and low against the wooden floor. Opening his bedroom door, she threw one last dim smile over her shoulder at him, her cheeks pink and hair curled messily around her face.

"Good night, Gray-sama," she murmured while he tore his gaze away, mumbling his reply before flipping over in bed, his back to the door.

He waited until he could hear the soft click of her light switching off before making himself comfortable in his own bed.

Except, he couldn't.

Gray tossed and turned but nothing could quite shake away the twinge of guilt he felt churning in his stomach. He shouldn't have turned her away when she was afraid, especially when his self-seeking motive had been the cause of her fear in the first place.

Running a tired hand down his face, he swore, kicking off his covers and rolling out of bed. It was either him going to check on her now or staying up all night worrying, all the while with the restless itch to go see her.

He ruffled his hair out of his eyes, padding down the hallway to knock on her door.

"Who is it?" a soft voice called and Gray resisted the urge to eye-roll.

"It's me. Who else?" he muttered, opening the door and slipping inside to shoot her a flat look. "D'ya think a zombie would be polite enough to knock?"

Juvia sat up in bed, blinking at him. "What are you doing here, Gray-sama?"

This time, he did roll his eyes, moving to stand in front of her with his arms crossed firmly over his chest. "What does it look like I'm doin' here?"

"Ah—"

"You're afraid, aren't you?"

"Well, Juvia—"

"So, I'm here. Now, you gonna move over or what?"

"Move over?"

"Yeah," he replied, ignoring the blaze of his cheeks. "Move over."

Juvia said nothing, quickly shuffling to the side to make room for him, though Gray didn't miss the smile spreading across her face. He sighed once more, perching on the edge of her bed with his legs outstretched and his back slouched against the headboard. Not knowing what to do with his hands, he left them folded loosely across his chest.

Her eyes were on him, studying him curiously, he just knew it. Clearing his throat, he swung his gaze over to her to see that his suspicions were correct and she was lying in bed wide awake, face flushed and a smile bright on her lips.

"Go to sleep," he told her.

Juvia looked away, blushing a deep pink. "Gray-sama is sleeping with Juvia…" she whispered quietly, though not quietly enough; he caught her words with a sudden flame of his own cheeks.

"Don't—don't say it like that!" he said, feeling his face heat up. "I'm just staying here 'til you go to sleep."

"Alright." She draped an arm over his stomach, nestling in closer before letting her eyes drift shut. "Good night, _Gray-sama_."

"Good night, Juvia," he replied in a flat voice, though his lips twitched into an amused smile at the return of her sing-song voice.

His hand reaching down to brush blue bangs out of her eyes, he thought to himself once more how he loved movie nights, maybe even a little more than he previously did.


	8. The Snowmen

**Author's Note: Back with more Grooovia. Hope you enjoy!**

 **Also, I started a new multi-chap fic! It's a series of pranks and battle between Gray and Juvia from when they lived together. I've been posting the chapters on this website as a separate story if any of you want to check it out ^.^ (OKAY that's enough of the shameless self-advertising...on with the story .)**

* * *

 **Title: The Snowmen  
Summary: Snowmen, scarves and warm hugs on chilly days.**

* * *

 _"Let's pretend the snow isn't the only thing falling fast."_

* * *

 **The Snowmen**

When it snowed, he felt lighter, more at peace. He enjoyed just about everything about this kind of weather. The satisfaction of being the first to step in a blanket of freshly lain snow, the soft crunch under his feet as he strode forward, and the snowball fights.

 _Especially_ the snowball fights.

Head tilted up to the sky, he watched as snow fell down in thick clumps, settling in his hair and dusting his cheeks. It had snowed heavily throughout the night, both Gray and Juvia waking up to a wide, untainted canvas of white.

Well, that's what he imagined Juvia had woken up to. He, on the other hand, had opened his eyes to see a blur of blue hair, blue eyes and pink cheeks, unnervingly close to him and smiling like it wasn't only the friggin' crack of dawn.

"Gray-sama, you're finally awake!" she chirped when Gray had groaned and thrown a pillow over his face, shielding himself from the one-of-a-kind blue alarm clock he really should have been used to by now.

Juvia poked tenderly at his pillow, a smile bright in her voice. "It was snowing all throughout the night! It looks so wonderful outside and Juvia knows how much Gray-sama loves the snow—"

"Snow? This time of year? You telling the truth or just trying to get me out of bed again?" he said flatly.

"Would Juvia lie to you?"

Gray thought about it for a moment. "Yeah."

"Gray-sama!" Juvia was appalled. Huffing, she snatched the pillow from him, hitting him lightly in the side. "Juvia would never do such a thing."

"Okay, okay. Hang on a sec," he said, motioning to her to put the pillow down. She obliged, shooting him one last glare before setting it down beside him. With a stretch, Gray brought himself to sit up before passing a hand through his hair, brushing messy locks out of his eyes to flash a lazy smile in her direction. "Alright, you've got my _full_ attention."

Now, breath pale against the numbing air, he blinked through the frost, trudging towards the back garden where Juvia was supposedly preparing a _surprise._ His thoughts regarding said _surprise_ were thicker than a blizzard; he had no idea what it could be. But he figured him clearing out the driveway had given her more than enough time to get her act together.

He rounded the corner, hands tucked deep into his pockets and scarf flapping behind in the wind.

The garden was buried in white, the branches of trees hanging low with the weight of the snow and Juvia's beloved flowerbed nowhere to be seen, hidden under layers of frost.

Juvia herself was stood in the middle of the patch of snow, woolly hat pulled low over her head, gloved hands sculpting what appeared to be a snowman, and as Gray neared her, he saw that it was indeed a snowman, fit with the stone eyes and sticks for arms.

She was captivated by her creation, eyes alight with childlike excitement as her fingers gently pressed in pebbles under a carrot nose to give the snowman a wide, friendly smile. So busy, lost in her world, she didn't notice Gray had appeared behind her, arms folded and mouth quirked up in grin.

"Your surprise," he said with a clear of his throat to make his presence known, "was a snowman, huh?"

Juvia whirled around, her snow streaked hair whipping around her face. She gave him a warm smile. "Not just any snowman...it's a Gray-sama snowman!"

With a proud ' _lo and behold'_ gesture, she stepped to the side, revealing the snowman—Snow- _Gray_ —in all his frozen glory.

Gray arched a brow. A carrot for his nose, grey stones for his eyes and what looked like frozen weeds for his hair.

Well, at least she got some gardening done through the snowfall too. That had to count for something.

"That thing is supposed to be me?" He shot her a sceptical look.

Juvia bit her lip, her eyes darting back and forth between Gray and his supposed snow-twin. What had she missed? She tilted her head slightly to the side, scanning Gray from head to toe, before her gaze zeroed in on his mouth, set in a deep scowl.

Her eyes lit up, and in one jump, she closed the gap between them, using her fingers to tilt the edges of his mouth upwards into a smile. "So serious, Gray-sama! Would you prefer if Juvia turned the snowman's smile upside down too?"

Gray stared at her, deadpan. "Very funny," he said, pulling her hands off his face before breaking into a smile anyway, despite himself. "Okay, Juvia, watch this…"

He stepped forward, his mind sparking with an idea or two that his hands were quick to convey. Fist slamming into an open palm, the familiar surge of magic flowed through his veins. Cool wisps left his fingers to take the shape of another snowman mounted beside his own—neatly sculpted out of ice with closed eyes, a big smile and even a hat perched atop her head. The full package.

"Figured the Gray-snowman looked a little lonely, huh?" Gray said, turning back to grin sheepishly at her.

Juvia's eyes widened. Her cheeks were flushed red, blazing against the white of their surroundings; easily the brightest thing around them along with her smile.

" _A JUVI SNOW-WOMAN_?" she squealed excitedly — and that's all it took.

Before he knew it, she had crashed into his side, almost tackling him to the ground with a hug so tight, he felt he would suffocate from the heat had he not already stripped off his jacket and shirt.

Even so, against his cool body, she was a nice kind of warm, effortlessly folded against him in that same way he'd really grown to enjoy, and sometimes, found himself not wanting to end.

Absentmindedly, his fingers sifted through her hair, soft threads of blue under his touch. "Hey, Juvia," he murmured, thumbing a particularly large snowflake in her hair, "you gonna let go any time soon?"

Juvia's arms wound around him tighter, her cheek nuzzling into his chest. "Juvia is cold."

"Oh yeah?" He grinned. "You forget that I'm an ice mage?"

"Juvia doesn't know what you're talking about…"

Gray chuckled, his breath leaving him in an icy cloud of grey. "If you're cold, let's go in and have some hot chocolate."

After careful thought, Juvia hummed, pulling away from him. "Hot chocolate sounds very appealing right now."

Gray smirked. "You're making it."

"Again?! And what about you, Gray-sama?"

He shrugged. " _I_ came up with the idea. And besides," he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets, "you make it a lot better than I do."

"Ah…that's true."

"Oi!" Gray squinted at her.

She laughed, a playful gleam in her eyes as she spun on the heel of her boot. "Juvia doesn't lie to Gray-sama, remember?" From the doorway, she threw a warm smile over her shoulder at Gray, who was still stood in the same spot, the corner of his mouth curled upwards, amused. "Aren't you coming inside?" she asked.

"In a sec."

"Don't be too long, or else Juvia will drink Gray-sama's share of hot chocolate too!" she called to him.

He watched her go, eyes following after the swing of her legs and the bounce of her hair with each and every step. When she was out of sight, he flicked his gaze back to the snowmen, crouching in front of them. With steady fingers, he reached up to unravel the scarf from around his neck—the very scarf she'd once knitted him all those months ago—and wrapped it around both snowmen before standing back up.

The sound of Juvia clattering around in the kitchen made his lips tug up in a smile, and sighing, he tucked that same smile under the collar of his jacket and headed back inside.


	9. Importance

**Author's Note: Hey! AHH chapter 498...the Gruvia ANGST! Waited so long for this. Anyway, here's a one-shot based on chapter 498 - Gruvia vs Invel!...so spoilers ahead! -sounds alarm-**

 **I wrote this in one sitting like a madwoman, so I hope it turned out okay xD**

* * *

 **Title: Importance  
Rating: T (I think...)  
Summary: ****When it came down to one of them living, who was more important? [Gruvia - ch. 498 spoilers]  
**

* * *

 _"How cruel, your veins are filled with ice-water and mine are boiling." - Emily Bronte_

* * *

 **Importance**

 _As soon as they stepped inside their house, Juvia was off like a shot, running to the kitchen in search of the first aid kit. Most of their missions went rather smoothly, a few cuts here, a few scrapes there—_ _usually no more than that._

 _But sometimes, the enemy would catch them off guard and get the better of them. During those times, she'd have to dig out all the bandages, salves and ointments they'd have in their small house and play the role of nurse for a little while._

 _"Gray-sama needs to be more careful," Juvia told him, tenderly wrapping a bandage around his bicep with quick and nimble fingers before tying it into place. She sat back, admiring her handiwork with a smile. "All done!"_

 _Gray, who had been busy staring off outside the window at nothing in particular, waiting for her to finish, shook his head, clearing his thoughts before turning to her. "Thanks," he said, flexing his arm to see if the bandage was comfortable enough._

 _"Is everything alright?" she asked, eyeing him anxiously._

 _"Quit worrying," he said with a roll of his eyes. "I'm fine. Now..." His gaze flickered to her, lips tugging up in a smirk. "Let's take a look at you."_

 _"Juvia?!" Her eyebrows shot up, flustered, and when Gray said nothing, she quickly shook her head, blue ponytail whipping around her face. "Ah, no...Juvia is alright," she insisted, beaming at him. "Gray-sama's state is much worse than hers."_

 _"Don't give me that." Gray sighed, reaching to take the first aid kit from her hands. "Come on, let me take a look at you, Juvia."_

 _Juvia stiffened in her seat, trying to keep as still as she could even with the awareness that his eyes were on her. But under the pressure of his gaze, she couldn't stop her fingers from fidgeting—with the folds of her skirt, the loose thread peeking out of her sleeve, the wisps of blue hair curling around her face. Everywhere he glanced, she felt her skin grow warmer, as though caressed by sunlight, and it was everything she could do to stop her lips from stretching into a big, unsuppressible smile that would give her away immediately._

 _Even after so long, she always found it ironic how an ice-mage such as himself was able to bring such fire to her face._

 _His eyes scanned over her a couple more times before he finally leaned forward to get a better look. He was close enough that she could see the dark specks of blue in his eyes, and when his fingers reached out to brush a lock of hair away from her face, she swore her heart almost leapt out of her chest._

 _Gray's eyebrows furrowed. "Yeah, you've got a nasty cut on your cheek."_

 _Juvia didn't reply as he cleaned out the cut with fresh water, enjoying the feel of his fingers against her skin. Countless missions they'd completed together over the years, and still, never had he patched her up so affectionately before. Her thoughts began to bubble with joy over what was yet another change she'd seen in him recently._

 _"Keep still, would you?" Gray muttered, his face solemn and eyebrows dipped in concentration. "And stop acting like you're nothing."_

 _"Gray-sama?"_

 _"You're important too," he said quietly. "You keep forgetting that."_

 _She said nothing as he turned away from her, packing the extra bandages back into the first aid kit, avoiding her eyes._

 _What was there to say?_

 _Juvia had to admit she'd noticed a subtle difference in his behaviour towards her lately. He sat closer to her when they were watching movies. He'd help her in the kitchen, even if he knew he wouldn't be of much use. He stayed up late talking to her, the dim shafts of sunlight streaming in through their living room window being the only indicator that maybe, just maybe, it was time for them to sleep._

 _She'd never felt closer to another person. She'd never been as happy as she was with him. And at first, she worried that her mind was playing tricks on her, that she was simply imagining these changes in him, but now, as she watched him throw a smile over his shoulder before heading back to the kitchen, she knew in her heart that she wasn't._

 _Slowly but surely, the last wall of ice around his heart, the last piece of self-defense he'd held in place all these years—it was finally beginning to melt._

* * *

She never thought she'd be the one to hurt him.

She never thought she'd inflict pain on him in this way.

She never thought she'd be the cause of his body to be covered in cuts and gashes, but she was.

Gray stood metres away from her, his eyes clouded with darkness as he smirked a wicked smile. "That all you got?" he taunted, cocking his head to the side. "You're gonna have to do better than that if you want to kill me before I kill you, Juvia."

She was still standing too, just like him. _How_ was she still standing? The pain was surreal. Every inch of her body felt as though it was lined with shards of ice, yet she remained on her feet, the water flowing from her hands in hot streams to strike at Gray without her command, without her permission.

Her magic was never meant to be used to hurt him, only to protect him.

But the magic coursing through her veins, the very magic she'd grown up with and learnt to harness over the years—it didn't feel familiar to her. It felt toxic, tainted in some way. She knew, as she watched him slam a fist to his palm, it was the same for him.

His magic was used to create, not destroy.

"Juvia will not lose to you, Gray," she said, her lips forming the words before she could even register what they were. Hearing herself say these things with such hate and malice towards the one person she ever loved broke her heart clean in two. It clawed at her from the inside out, because it wasn't her. She never once said his name with anything other than love and admiration.

The collar around her neck, constricting her like she was an animal, began to tighten slightly as though choking her, draining her of what little resolve she had left and replacing it with growing hatred for the man stood in front of her.

Blinking through the blizzard, she could still see Invel in the distance, his hands laced behind his back and his glasses glinting in the light. His lips curled upwards in a menacing smile, and seeing this, Juvia let her eyes travel back to what she supposed was his main focus: Gray.

Gray's own hands were wrapped around the collar too as he struggled against Invel's magic. Though, with dread, she realised his expression was something entirely different. If looks could kill, the one he was flashing Juvia at that moment would knock her off her feet.

It was terrifying how someone as known to her as Gray could suddenly seem like a stranger to her. But still, she knew he was fighting too, just as she was. As long as she could see him, the familiar dark spikes of his hair, the guild mark on his chest—she knew she wouldn't lose her sanity, no matter how much Invel's magic gnawed at her ribs and tore at her heart.

Seeing him reminded her that she loved him, as much as anyone would love the person who brought light into their world. Seeing him reminded her that he had to live at all costs, even if it meant she couldn't.

She had to lose this battle.

Though, she had to lose without letting Gray be the one to kill her. Juvia couldn't do that to him, not when the guilt of losing his loved ones was finally beginning to subside. If she was to allow him to kill her, it would break his soul, crack him in a way he would never be able to heal again.

Another strike from Gray, another fall to the ground, the breath completely knocked out of her.

Her resolve was clear in her mind: she had to lose.

Juvia slowly brought herself to sit up, trying her utmost to ignore the pain of her body that was ripping her apart. She didn't have enough strength left in her bones to control her magic, but maybe if there was something else she could use to end this battle, anything else.

Her gaze zeroed in on a shard of ice, a remnant from Gray's previous attack, buried under the snow just feet away from her. With trembling fingers, she reached for it, her face twisted in pain as she fought against Invel's hold on her body.

She had led a good life, filled with so much love and happiness. She had the opportunity to make such great friends, to fight for a guild that quickly became her new home and accepted her for who she was. She was able to love unconditionally and irrevocably, something she thought she'd never have the chance to do.

Positioning the ice to her chest, Juvia closed her eyes. She didn't want the last thing she'd see to be Gray covered in the marks she'd left on him, his eyes dark and lacking that playful gleam she loved so much. She wanted to remember him as the man who held her close when they watched scary movies, who became a child as soon as it snowed, who would rush into her room at any hour, just if she called his name once—the man who took away the rain and showed her the warmth of the sun…

The ice in her hands shattered and she felt warm lips suddenly press against her own.

Hands held her close like they never wanted to let go, and for a brief moment, the cold seemed to drift away with the wind because Gray was kissing her, hard, urgently, as though he was pouring everything he could give into her and more.

At first, she stiffened, shocked, but then her fingers found their way into his thick hair, her mouth sweeping over his longingly, relieved, alive. His answer passed through like a warm ocean wave, washing away the darkness lingering at the edges and leaving only him: the touch of him, his smell, the way he smiled against her lips.

Gray pulled away slightly, short-breathed as he pressed his forehead against hers. "We're going to fight this, you hear me?"

"Gray-sama, Juvia..."

He took her hand in his, holding it against his cheek. "You're not going anywhere. I'm not losing you."

Juvia smiled weakly, pressing her lips against his once more. "We're a better team than they are," she said softly, hope coursing through her at the return of his smile. "We can defeat them."

Gray smirked, brushing away her snow-streaked hair with gentle fingers. "Let's show the Spriggan Twelve what teamwork really is."

As she got back to her feet, the magic simmering in her blood, tingling in her fingers and toes, she squeezed his hand tightly, thinking back to that day so many months ago, when he had tended to that cut on her cheek.

 _'You're important too',_ he had told her.

And she knew, that to him, she was—just as he was to her. They were a team, after all.


	10. Among the Waves

**Author's Note: Spoilers ahead!**

 **SO...chapter 499 emotionally drained me of all life. Here's some MORE angst (also featuring a fluffy flashback in between because I clearly can't bear to write all angst, already broken enough as it is *weeps dramatically*)**

 **Based on chapter 499, enjoy!**

* * *

 **Title: Among the Waves  
Summary: Visits to the beach just weren't the same anymore, not when it only reminded him of her [Gruvia - set after the events of ch. 499]**

* * *

 _"The bruises on my skin are like purple rain clouds."_

* * *

 **Among the Waves**

He stood by the edge of the water, face to the breeze, soaking in the salt in the air and reliving the past few days for what was yet another time, because after the way things had ended, he wasn't sure whether he'd be able to think about anything else ever again.

A week had passed since the battle with Zeref and Acnologia had come to an end, two weeks since he had lost Juvia. Though peace finally loomed over their country, he couldn't find it in his heart to celebrate with everyone else, not when the one person he wanted to celebrate with most wasn't around to laugh with him, cheer with him, to hear the answer he'd planned on giving her so long ago.

Gray pulled the hem of his collar up higher to cover his mouth as he walked along the shore, the pebbles crunching beneath his boots and the cold waves crashing at his feet in a steady rhythm, dark and laced with sea foam.

After the war, he found himself spending the majority of his time by the sea. He wasn't sure why he kept coming back to this same place again. It didn't help with the loss; it didn't help with the pain.

He supposed maybe he was trying to take comfort in something that reminded him so strongly of her: her element. Or maybe he was just trying to pass the time, avoiding the nights where he'd wake up in cold sweats, and the days where the hours passed by like the world itself had stopped spinning.

Though, perhaps it was neither of those things, and he just didn't know what in the hell to do anymore.

A lot of the time, he'd find himself thinking about the last trip he and Juvia had taken to the beach. It had been during the period when they'd lived together, months that once brought a smile to his lips but now only made a dull ache settle in his chest.

He wondered if he were to close his eyes, would he be able to go back to that memory? When there was no other sound in the air aside from those of the waves and her laughter mingled with his.

* * *

 _As soon as the sea came into view, she was off running, squealing with laughter and leaving soft footprints behind in the sand as she slipped and slid towards the water._

 _Gray, on the other hand, trailed behind, watching her with a lazy smile. It had been a while since they'd visited the beach together, maybe a month or two. The last trip of theirs had ended with both of them soaked from head to toe, dripping as they made their way home on the train after an afternoon of water fights and battles._

 _Naturally, Juvia had won that time round, but he had nothing to worry about. She could win all the water fights this summer; he'd have his revenge when winter rolled around._

" _Gray-sama!" she called, turning back to wave at him, a speck of blue against the golden sand. "Come join Juvia in the water!"_

" _You go ahead. Let me just put this stuff down," he said, eyes scanning around for a suitable spot to claim as theirs where he could dump all the beach towels and the cooler he'd been carrying._

 _It was hot out today, the sun high in the sky and showering their bodies with warmth; perfect beach weather. Gray had already stripped down to his shorts on the train ride here, much to the shock and dismay of other passengers, but it was a good thing he did because otherwise, he may just have melted into a friggin' puddle._

 _He figured that was more Juvia's thing than his._

 _Crouching down into the sand, Gray opened the cooler, picking out a cold drink. He chugged it down in one go, swiping a hand across his mouth before sitting back, letting his eyes wander to Juvia, an amused smile tugging on his lips._

 _She was stood in the water, the white-tipped waves crashing over the sand and circling her legs, making her shiver as she laughed. Closing her eyes, she tilted her face up to the sun with her arms spread wide apart like she could fly off at any moment; touch the sky, even._

 _He'd never seen her as natural as she was among the waves. In a way, it couldn't help but remind him of how he felt whenever he'd wake up to find that it had snowed throughout the night—she was at peace with her element._

" _Gray-sama?" With a smile, Juvia turned back around, sifting a hand through her windswept hair and sweeping it over one shoulder. "Won't you come join Juvia in the water?"_

 _Gray arched a brow, grinning at her playfully. "Why? So you can water-slice the crap outta me again?"_

" _Juvia won't do that!" She laughed, skipping towards him and grabbing his hand. "Unless Gray-sama attacks her first out of nowhere like last time."_

" _Can't make you any promises."_

" _Juvia doesn't expect you to," she said, tugging him along to the edge of the water. "She just wants to enjoy every moment with the two of us together!"_

 _He let her pull him into the water, cool waves lapping around his feet and rising higher with every step they took. Yelping and laughing, she led them further into the sea._

 _And then she stopped walking—though, her fingers remained entwined with his._

" _Juvia loves the sea because it doesn't end," she told him, a smile bright on her lips as they stood side by side, looking out over blue waters and an endless stretch of cloudless sky. "It goes on for miles and miles, as far as her eyes can see!"_

 _He followed her gaze, towards the horizon, the gentle sea breeze sifting through their hair, filling the air with salt._

 _She was right. There really was nothing but blue, as far as his eyes could see, just as she'd told him. Smiling to himself, he thought how lately, blue had grown to become his favourite colour._

 _When she leaned into his side, gently pressing her cheek into his shoulder, Gray said nothing._

 _And when he let her, Juvia said nothing either, only held his hand a little tighter._

* * *

The image of her stood among the sea, blue against blue, truly at peace, would stick in his mind a lot of the time—late at night as he pondered his feelings towards her, and every time he happened to be near the ocean.

The memory would once stir something in his chest but now, stood on the same beach, it just made him miss her more. He felt out of place here somehow, like an outsider looking through a window to catch a glimpse of the blue horizon.

But Juvia? She had belonged. It was as though she was made to solely stand among the crashing waves and cool waters; they were a part of one another.

It was funny, a twisted joke of some sort. She had died saving him yet a part of himself still died that day along with her anyway. Gray knew he'd never recover from this, not from losing her.

From the day he lost his family, he knew he was broken goods, cracked in some way. Though, she loved him despite all that, and now, she was no longer by his side either.

In fact, she'd left the biggest crack of all.

The cold onshore breeze blew through his hair, prickling his eyes as he wrapped his grey scarf a little tighter around himself. Turning around, he made his way back to his apartment until the next day where he'd relive the nightmare all over again.


	11. i Awake ii Our Favourite Story

**Author's Note: It's been a while! I've not had the time to write longer one-shots lately, so instead here are two pretty short pieces.**

 **The first is based on chapter 510, so watch out for spoilers! And the second story is set many years after the war, when Gray and Juvia are already canon. It's probably one of my favourites out of all the ones I've written so far!**

* * *

 **Title: Awake, Our Favourite Story  
**

* * *

 _"You look at each other with reality, but at the same time, there's a fairytail awaiting you." - E. Grin  
_

* * *

 **i. Awake**

The last thing he'd caught sight of before slipping into unconsciousness was Juvia.

The first thing his eyes searched for when he woke up was the very same person.

Gray sat up abruptly, his heart quickening its pace in his chest as he recalled the last few moments before he'd drifted away into darkness. He had heard her voice; he was certain of it, and sure enough, when he turned around, she was stood in front of him—battered, bruised, but very much alive.

Just the sight had left his mind blank of all things except her. Completely weak at the knees, he'd fallen to the ground.

Now, he looked down at her sleeping figure uncertainly. She was beside him, her face turned towards his—peaceful, wisps of blue covering her cheek, falling over her closed eyes.

But that image from just hours ago had burned itself into his mind—of her lying motionless on the icy ground, her blood pluming into the snow around them, like ruptured roses from the garden they'd once grown together with such care.

Blood had continued to surge through his veins. He didn't understand how he was alive, _why_ he was alive. His heart had lurched in his chest—not from one of her smiles, but instead from the cold dread seeping into his bones tied with the fear of losing yet another loved one.

The sobs that had followed were enough to make his whole form tremble, though this time, she hadn't been the one to hold him close like she once did. Instead, he pulled her into his arms for what he thought would be the last time and screamed her name into the skies.

Yet somehow, after all that, she was right here. Just as always, by his side.

With each breath he took, the dead weight that had settled itself on his shoulders began to slowly lift away. The terrible ache that had been gnawing at his ribs and tearing at his heart finally subsided, a wave of relief crashing over him instead, which he couldn't help but welcome.

Gently, Gray leaned forward, stretching out his fingers to brush the stray strands away from her face, eyes following the curves and angles of her features as if recalling every little detail. He thumbed a lock of her hair, twisting it around his finger before letting it fall back into place over her chest which continued to rise and fall evenly, as though nothing had ever happened—as though all this time, she'd been peacefully sleeping, as real and wonderfully alive as can be.

He didn't say anything—the words escaped him.

For the third time that day, he cried, raking a hand through his hair and tilting his head up to look through the cracks in the ceiling.

He couldn't see much through the grime and vines, but he knew that outside, the sky was clear now; a perfect uninterrupted blue.

* * *

 **ii. Our Favourite Story**

"One more chapter."

They were on the couch together, Gray's head in Juvia's lap and a book held between them, the cover hiding her face so the only thing he caught view of was her hair, loosely spilled over the front of her shoulders in blue waves.

"Another chapter?" Juvia asked, glancing down to shoot him a knowing look. "Gray-sama, you know very well what happens next in this story!"

"Hm?" He smirked at her words, fingers threading through the ends of her hair, following every twist and curl. "Seems to have slipped my mind or somethin' like that."

Juvia let out a sigh, turning the page with an amused expression on her face. "Gray-sama's memory appears to be getting worse with age…"

He laughed at that, snatching the book from her and calling to her playfully, "If my memory's so bad, why don't you remind me then?"

Raising her eyebrows at him, Juvia tipped her head forward so her hair cascaded down in a curtain of blue, enveloping them both. Her lips hovered inches above his, breath ghosting over his cheek; light and tingly—a whisper away.

Everything was blue, he noted—just like the sky on a clear summer's day. Her hair, her eyes, fingernails that gently brushed dark locks away from his forehead before tracing the edge of his jaw.

He could get lost in that colour.

Granted, he already had, many years ago.

Gray tilted his face upwards, his lips catching hers, eyes rolling shut. Her mouth soft and warm under his own, he smiled as his hand reached up to hold the side of her face.

The book titled ' _An Eternal Adventure'_ , written by a Miss Lucy Heartfilia several years ago lay forgotten beside them, its spine bent, pages spilled open at the start of the next chapter. The story was one of friendship and love, based on the lives of a group of mages belonging to a certain wizarding guild named Fairy Tail.

The next chapter was one the pair knew all too well—as well as they knew each other; every line, inside out. It was the start of a new beginning after the war. It was called, _'Gray's Answer'._


	12. i Dolls ii Let It Rain

**Author's Note: Sorry I haven't been updating much! With university and life in general, it's hard to find time to sit down and write something long, sigh.**

 **So, I bring you two more drabbles! Sorry they're so short. Anyway, the first part is based on my own personal headcanon regarding the plushies Juvia makes, and the second one is set after Gruvia become canon. Hope you guys like them!**

* * *

 **Title: Dolls, Let It Rain  
**

* * *

 _"You are the sky. Everything else? It's just the weather." - Pema Chodron  
_

* * *

 **i. Dolls**

In the Fullbuster house, there was a shelf residing just above the TV lacrima, filled with ornaments and trinkets that the couple had gathered over the years.

A snowglobe, a teru teru bozu, rows of photos filled with warm smiles and laughter, and in the middle of the shelf stood four handmade dolls, each stitch woven with care by the water mage.

The first was the last remaining piece of a once wide collection she had held close to her heart—a Gray-sama doll, complete with the dark hair and a smile that would never truly compare to the easy smirk that always pulled her in, even after all these years.

Then came the Juvi-doll, created after Gray had asked her to move in with him, sometime following the final war. Hers stood beside his, cheeks splashed pink and navy hat perched atop her head; by his side, just as always.

Years later came the next doll: a boy with hair that framed his face in dark spikes, and blue eyes dotted just below like threads that had been woven from the sky. His name was Silver, and much like his father, he liked to appear as _cool_ — so cool that his doll would mysteriously vanish from time to time and end up hidden away somewhere discreet, like under his bed or tucked away in his sock drawer.

Though, Juvia would always find it and place it back with the rest of its family, much to Silver's horror.

The last doll was the smallest of the four. Dark waves fell to her shoulders and even darker eyes stared back, wide and fringed with tiny lashes Juvia had spent hours stitching with nimble fingers. Her smile stretched from one pink cheek to the other, and she was named Skye because after the rain cleared and the clouds had parted, that was all Juvia saw: an endless stretch of blue sky.

Late in the evening, Gray appeared in the doorway, leaning his head against the frame, hands in his pockets. He smiled at his wife, who was busy at work, her fingers moving in quick and precise motions under the glow of the lamp. "Kids are asleep," he said softly, moving closer to look over her shoulder, "How's the next addition comin' along?"

Juvia looked up from her handiwork to beam at him, holding up the bundle of fabrics so he could get a better glimpse. "Here it is! What do you think, Gray-sama?"

His eyes passed over the doll that would represent the newest member of the Fullbuster family. As small as the palm of his hand, the doll was wrapped in a light blue, eyes stitched shut and a small smile on his lips, as though he was dreaming something worthwhile.

Gray smiled once more, taking the doll and turning it over in his hands while Juvia watched him, eyes bright and hands rubbing over the swell of her stomach. He shook his head with a laugh, thinking back to how at one point in his life, these dolls may have irked him, but now, they belonged on that shelf above their TV lacrima as part of a cherished set.

He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to Juvia's lips, his hand entwining with hers. "It's perfect," he said.

* * *

 **ii. Let It Rain**

When she felt a drop of rain fall against her skin followed by several others, she sighed, tilting her head up to the sky.

"Ah, it has started to rain…"

"Hm?" Gray followed her gaze, his vision quickly becoming blurred by the heavy droplets, locks of hair sticking to his forehead.

It wasn't her rain; he could tell as much.

He knew from the way she smiled at him first thing in the morning and last thing in the night that it wasn't—they were happy.

Stealing a glance at Juvia, he found her frowning, her brow furrowed disapprovingly, as though willing her magic to make the rain stop.

But still, it continued to pour down in heavy sheets, the two of them soaked from head to toe.

With a small smile, he thought to himself how once, his 17 year old self had found the rain depressing—gloomy, even.

Now? Things were different; _they_ were different. The rain reminded him of Juvia, as did the cloudless sky and the colour of blue itself.

There were parts of her in everything.

Gray brought a fist to his palm, whispering three words under his breath. Wisps of ice flowed from his fingers, taking the shape of a large umbrella. Holding it loosely over the two of them, he leaned down to press a kiss to her cheek.

"So what?" he said, folding her into his side. "Let it rain."


	13. His Answer

**Author's Note: Hello all! Here's a quick fic I wrote about _one way_ Gray's answer to Juvia could go. I can't wait to see them again in the manga! It feels like it's been so long. Enjoy ^.^**

* * *

 **Title: His Answer  
**

* * *

 _"You laughed like a metaphor I've been trying to write down for years." - Rudy Francisco  
_

* * *

 **His Answer**

The first thing he feels when he sees Juvia running across the battlefield towards him is relief—something he hasn't had the opportunity to feel in the longest of times.

The next: that everything is surreal—simply too good to be true.

Ice has stopped leaving his fingertips in cool wisps, the adrenaline coursing through his veins has begun to subside. There are no opponents left on the battlefield to fight, cheers filling the air from every direction, ringing in his ears.

Though, it doesn't feel real to him just yet.

"Gray-sama!"

Juvia's voice rises high above the rest as she calls his name. Eyes following her movements, he watches as she jumps over fallen debris, her skirt torn, shirt long gone just like his; a sign of their shared stripping habit. Cuts and bruises cover her body and her blue hair is curled messily around her face. But still, she looks the happiest he's ever seen her and the return of her smile stirs something in his chest.

"Gray-sama!" She stops a short distance before him, cheeks flushed, breathless. "There you are! Juvia has been looking all over for you."

Gray's lips tug up in a smirk. "Well, you found me before I could find you."

She laughs at that, light and pure, and hearing that sound makes him realise how long it's been since he last heard it, and how much he has missed her laugh. It is infectious and he finds himself laughing along with her as she jumps into his arms to hug him.

Burying her face into the crook of his shoulder, she whispers to him softly, "You're safe. Everyone is safe."

Somehow, her words make it all the more real.

"'Course," he says, relaxing under the warmth of her touch, every muscle losing its tension to the cool breeze above. He pulls her closer to him, strokes her hair. "What did I tell you, huh? Fairy Tail always comes out on top."

If anyone were to ask him how it felt in that moment, he wouldn't be able to describe it. He wouldn't be able to tell them how good it felt to root for something so real, so important, and pull through despite all the hardships standing against them.

All that training, _everything—_ it had led up to this moment.

Gray lets the happiness soak right into his bones. He wants this, this same feeling, to still be here when he's old and telling his grandkids about this story. He closes his eyes and savours the moment—he doesn't want it to ever end.

"Juvia is so happy," she says, pulling away to wipe at her eyes before smiling up at him. "And she knows Gray-sama has heard her say this many times…but she wants you to know that she loves you…a lot."

Though, there is still one thing left for him to do.

"Hm?" Gray takes a step closer to her, closing the distance. "What was that?"

Juvia blinks at him in confusion, her cheeks reddening at the sudden close proximity between them. "Gray-sama?"

"Go on." Gray ducks his head, smirking. "Say it again."

She pauses, her eyebrows dipping together as she studies him. Dark locks frame his face, fall into his eyes as he leans even closer to her, breath ghosting over her lips. His eyes are bright, playful. Unable to hold his gaze, she squeezes her own eyes shut, cheeks flushed crimson, mind swimming, and shyly murmurs, "I love you—"

—before feeling warm lips press against her own.

At first, she stiffens, her breath catching in her throat and her heart doing somersaults in her chest. Gray kisses her with the kind of clumsy passion that makes her head feel light and makes the world fall away. Slow and soft, spoken in ways that words would never be.

Somehow, throughout it all, she is completely unprepared. After all the time spent daydreaming, head in the clouds, watching him talk, laugh, joke, scowl—she had still never imagined an ice mage's lips to be as warm as his are whilst pressed up against her own.

And when he pulls away to tell her this is his answer, she laughs, her arms finding their way around his neck once again, eagerly returning his kiss to tell him she already knows.


	14. Stripping Habit

**Author's Note: Hellooo! Another fic set over the 1-year time-skip...featuring the legendary stripping habit** **(¬‿¬) - Hope you all like it and thank you for the support so far!**

* * *

 **Title: Stripping Habit  
Summary: How were there always more clothes on the floor than on his body?  
**

* * *

 _"Your gaze across my cheeks turned them into strawberry fields." - Sanober Khan  
_

* * *

 **Stripping Habit**

"Gray-sama, you're leaving your clothes all over the place again…"

At the sound of her voice, Gray glanced up from his sketchpad to see Juvia lumbering around their living room, tossing shirts, a jacket and a pair of trousers over her arm whilst sighing deeply.

If there were that many clothes lying around unworn then—

Groaning to himself, he looked down to see whether he still had anything on, already knowing what he'd find: nothing but his boxers, for what had to be the third time this week.

"Damn it…" Gray stood up, passing a hand through his hair and eyeing the living room wearily.

How were there always more clothes on the floor than on his body? He'd lost count of how many items of clothing he'd stripped off and misplaced over the years, never to be seen again.

Though, ever since he and Juvia started living together, she'd come to his aid, specially taking a bag along with them to missions. Clothes that would come _off_ and clothes that needed to come _on_ were stuffed into that bag and thanks to her, Gray's outfits actually made it home safely to the washing machine.

With a heavy sigh, he spotted the shirt he'd worn from yesterday's job draped over the back of the couch and reached over to get it, shooting her an apologetic look. "Juvia, you don't have to clean up after me. I can take care of myself."

Juvia straightened up, adding a pair of socks to the growing pile in her arms before meeting his eyes with a warm smile. "Juvia doesn't mind, Gray-sama."

"Nah, it's my mess," he said, crouching down to inspect under the couch for any hidden pieces of clothing. "At least let me help out."

Finding nothing under there except a lone chocolate wrapper from his snacking session earlier on in the afternoon – which he figured would be a clean-up job for another day – Gray rose to his feet, fixing the cushions and picking up the shirt, working his way around the room to her.

"Even retrieving your clothes can be as tiring as a training session, hm, Gray-sama?" Juvia asked, her voice light and playful as she took the shirt from his hands.

Gray rolled his eyes at her, folding his arms. "Yeah, yeah…"

"Ah…" Juvia glanced around the room, tilting her head to the side and humming softly. "Any more, Gray-sama?"

Gray inspected the room once more, eyes darting from one corner to the other. The cottage they lived in was small, cosy—much like his apartment back in Magnolia but at the same time, very different. Here, his possessions were mixed with hers. A teru teru bozu hanging by the window, vases of flowers dotted around the tables, her photos and books lined up along with his on the shelves.

He hadn't shared a home with someone like this in the longest of times, not since he was a child. But he had to admit, looking around and seeing how easily a simple "he" and "she" had become an "us" over the few months they'd lived together—he very much liked it and found himself thinking that once Fairy Tail returned, he'd very much _miss_ it as well.

"Hang on…" Gray sighed irately when his eyes caught sight of a fabric under the stool by the window. "Got one more for you, Juvia."

He leaned down, fishing out the blue material before examining it.

It wasn't his. The skirt was long with slits on either side, crumpled and creased under the weight of the stool.

But the main point was that _it wasn't his._

Getting to his feet, Gray held the skirt up in front of Juvia, raising a brow. "Hm. Funny…don't remember buying this."

When her eyes grew wide and she flushed crimson, he grinned, throwing it to her with a laugh. Without a word, Juvia caught the skirt in her hand and looked away quickly, scurrying to the kitchen whilst Gray followed, arms crossed behind his head and a smirk wide on his face.

"Hey, Juvia," he teased, playfully pulling on her ponytail. "What's with that? No comment when it's your own clothes?"

Juvia huffed, stuffing the skirt along with the other clothes into the washing machine. She kept her face turned away from him but from what he could see, he was pretty sure she was fighting back a smile.

' _Yes_ ,' he thought to himself, laughing, _'He very much liked being an "us".'_

* * *

 _ **The couple that strip together stay together (¬**_ _ **‿**_ _ **¬)**_


	15. Matching

**Author's Note: Did you guys see the Gruvia cat ears art that Mashima posted on his twitter? It was the CUTEST thing and I just had to write about it! If you haven't seen it, I recommend you do because this story is based on that, and also, it's just a wonderful piece of art ^.^**

 **Hope you all like this fic! Comments are appreciated :)**

* * *

 **Title: Matching**  
 **Summary: "Say 'nyaan~', Gray-sama..."**

* * *

 _"And just like that, the waves of laughter keep on coming."_

* * *

 **Matching**

"Oi, Juvia! Where'd you go? We're gonna be late to the dinner party!" Gray turned around to fix his tie in the mirror, looping it over and under before pulling the blue material through and straightening it.

It was Happy's birthday today and the guild had decided to throw him a huge party, inviting very well half of Magnolia and other nearby guilds to join in on the occasion and make it special for him.

And despite having had the whole afternoon to get ready, he and Juvia were still going to be _late._

"Juvia? Aren't you done yet?" Gray called, hearing someone shuffle around in the hallway. "I said we're gonna be late…"

In the mirror, he caught sight of a familiar blue shape, sneaking across the room before disappearing behind him, hidden asides from a few loose curls peeking out and giving her away entirely.

"Juvia," he said flatly. "I know you're there."

Juvia said nothing, her weight pressed against his back as she raised her arms up to his head, the golden bangles on her wrists jingling softly in his ears along with her quiet giggles.

And when he saw white cat ears appear in the mirror, he was the one with no words, watching with a deadpan expression as she positioned them on top of his head before peering around his body to glance at the two of them in the mirror.

"What does Gray-sama think?" Juvia asked him, her hair hanging over one shoulder and a smile bright on her lips.

"Not a chance."

"But Gray-sama looks so _sweet_!"

"No."

Juvia stepped forward, taking his arm in hers and pressing her cheek to his shoulder. "But we're _matching!"_

 _Matching._

He glanced at their reflections in the mirror.

He was wearing a dark suit, blue shirt, blue tie. She was wearing the same shade as him, her dress flowing elegantly over her figure, golden belt tied at the waist, glinting in the mirror.

They looked good together, the two of them — a contrast of black and blue.

Though, when Gray's eyes travelled upwards to her hat, he realised that their clothes weren't _all_ that was matching about them.

He took one look at the navy-coloured cat ears fashioned onto her hat and before he could stop himself, his mouth twitched upwards and he was laughing, hard, a hand over his forehead as he shook his head at how utterly ridiculous they both looked.

"Hm." Leaning down, Gray flicked one of her cat ears, grinning at her. "Gotta say, it looks better on you than it does on me."

"Gray-sama looks cute too," Juvia said, blushing lightly as she reached up to kiss his cheek. "And Happy will be so surprised to see us wearing these!"

So, this is what she'd been doing in secret over the past few days – hiding bundles of fabric behind her back every time he'd walk into the room, staying up late to finish 'a project', suddenly asking if the two of them could go pay a visit to Carla and Pantherlily out of the blue – she'd been making _Exceed hats_ for Happy's birthday.

Staring hard at her, he arched a brow. Never before in his life would he decide to go out into public like this with white cat ears sticking out of his head. Like _hell_ would he even consider it.

But despite how ridiculous he looked and felt, he couldn't help but smile at her antics.

 _Only Juvia_ would make matching cat ears for the two of them to wear to a friggin' Exceed party.

Only her.

"Okay, fine," he muttered, rolling his eyes. "But just this once and that's it, got it? Don't start getting more ideas."

"Gray-sama!" Juvia squealed in delight, throwing herself into his arms to hug him tightly. "We're going to have so much fun!"

He wasn't sure 'fun' was the right word. Gray imagined his guild members' faces when they'd see the two of them looking like a pair of cats. He sighed for all the trouble he knew was sure to come. The guys would never let him live this down…all he could do was hope that no one was bringing a camera along to the party.

"Yeah, well…" He wrapped his arms around her, drawing her closer. "I wouldn't do this just for anyone, y'know?"

"Juvia knows," she said, pulling back to smile at him.

Smirking back, he held her hands loosely in his own. "Alright then, let's go. Otherwise we'll be late and by the time we get there, that flame-brain will have eaten everything…"

"Yes," she said, falling into step beside him as they grabbed their coats and stepped out into the cool evening breeze.

"Ah, Gray-sama…"

"Hm?"

"Say _'nyaan~'_!"

"What?! No way."

"Gray-sama…"

"You talked me into wearing the cat ears." He pointed to his head, scowling. "And that's all you're gettin'."

Juvia laughed as they continued to walk on, cat ears on their heads, her hand in his, and the bag containing their camera swinging lightly from her shoulder.


	16. Sunrise

**Author's Note: I wasn't planning on taking part in this year's Gruvia week because currently drowning in uni assignments (T_T) ...BUT I had this one idea for the prompt 'sunrise' which I had to write!**

 **This drabble is based on that one scene from The Lion King...(you already know (¬‿¬))**

* * *

 **Title: Sunrise  
Summary: Sometimes Gray wondered if he was the only one in his family that truly cherished sleep  
**

* * *

 _"Smile, my boy_ — _it's sunrise."  
_

* * *

 **Sunrise**

Between the ticking of their alarm clock and Juvia's soft snores, the only other thing Gray heard was the rain falling softly onto the pavement, the sound as low and familiar as the pitter patter of small footsteps.

Sighing, he turned to lie on his back, one arm on his stomach whilst the other hung slightly off the bed as he let sleep drag him in once more—

"Dad! Dad!"

And when the door burst open and a little boy rushed in, fully dressed from head to toe, eyes bright, and a toothy smile wide on his face, Gray realised that the sound he had been hearing really had been footsteps, after all.

"Dad?" Frowning, Silver ran to Gray's side, taking his father's dangling hand in his and tugging on it, hard. "Come on, dad! We gotta go! Wake up!"

Groaning idly in his sleep, Gray rolled over onto his side, arm draped over Juvia as he mumbled something about wanting five more minutes.

Beside him, Juvia stirred with a hum, her fingers moving to brush dark locks of hair away from Gray's face before stroking his cheek tenderly. "Gray-sama…" she whispered.

"Hm?"

"Gray-sama, your son is awake…"

Gray's arm tightened around her waist as he drew her closer to him. "Before sunrise, he's _your_ son," he replied hazily, resting his chin on top of her head as Juvia laughed into his chest.

"Daaad…" Silver shuffled across the room to the other side of the bed wearily, as though he had weights tied to his small shoes, before jumping up to slouch beside his parents, brow furrowed and lip jutted out in a pout.

"Your old man's still sleeping," Gray said.

Silver gave him a pointed stare. "No, you're not! Your eyes are open!"

"Nothing gets past Silver-kun." Juvia laughed, straightening up to pull him into her lap. Tilting her head to the side, she kissed his cheek fondly. "And just where is Silver-kun off to so early in the morning?"

The scowl on his face was one to rival his father's as Silver folded his arms, shooting an accusing glare at Gray. "Yesterday, dad said we could go on a job together."

"Ehh?! Silver-kun has already grown into such a big boy!"

"M-Mom!" Silver protested, squirming in Juvia's arms as she pulled on his cheek and peppered his face with kisses whilst gushing about how fast the years had flown by.

Gray watched them, propping his elbow up on the pillow and resting his cheek on his hand, smiling to himself.

These last five years had passed by so quickly, like rain through his fingertips. Now, their eldest, Silver, was beginning to go out on smaller, menial jobs with him and would soon learn magic, and their daughter, who they had already named Skye, would be joining them in a matter of time too.

"Dad?"

Gray's eyes met Silver's. "Yeah, son?"

"You promised."

Those blue eyes of his always had their way with him.

Gray gave him a lopsided smile, stretching his arms high up above his head, shaking off the remnants of sleep. "Okay, okay. I'm up."

"Alright!" Silver's face lit up as he jumped onto Gray, circling his little arms around his neck and burying his face into the crook of his shoulder.

"But," Gray started, flashing Juvia a mischievous smirk, "We'll go after another five minutes in bed."

And with that, he dragged the three of them down again with a laugh.

As the sunlight streamed in through the curtains, casting a soft glow around Juvia and Silver, tints of gold in their hair and specks of dust in the air, he couldn't help but feel warm—grateful for his small family.


	17. The Best Surprise

**Author's Note: Ahh, it's been a long while! Now that my exams are FINALLY over, I'll hopefully get back into the gist of writing ^.^** **I wrote this little story back in April but didn't get the chance to add it to this collection until now, oops xD**

 **Hope you all like it! Please leave me some feedback if you have the time, really keeps me going :)**

* * *

 **Title: The Best Surprise  
Summary: ...let's leave it as a surprise ****(¬‿¬)  
**

* * *

 _"So many of my smiles begin with you."_

* * *

 **The Best Surprise**

When she feels his arms circle around her shoulders before reaching up to cover her eyes gently, she already knows who it is.

"Gray-sama?"

Gray leans down with a smile, his voice tickling the shell of her ear as he tells her, "No peeking, got it?"

Resting her hands over his, she nods excitedly. "Could this be a surprise for Juvia?"

"Yeah," he says, helping her get to her feet before steadying her against his own body. "You could say that."

Carefully, he guides her through their small home, along the hallway and up the stairs, the last one creaking just like always. Though she couldn't see anything past the slits of light streaming in through his fingers, she knew exactly where he was taking her. Past the paintings and photographs, past the trinkets and ornaments they'd collected over the years to the room at the end which had always been labelled as the _'spare room'_ until just a few months ago when they decided it would belong to a very special person instead.

"Okay, stop right here…" With one hand, Gray reaches around Juvia to open the door, the other still covering her eyes.

"Can Juvia look now?" she asks, fingers clasped under her chin as she tries not to bounce on the spot with excitement.

"In a sec. First, take another step forward…"

" _Now,_ Gray-sama?"

Gray glanced around the room one last time before resting his chin on top of her head. "You ready, Juvia?"

"Yes!"

And slowly, he lets his hands fall away.

Juvia finds herself standing in the middle of a room so blue, it resembles the sea. There are paintings everywhere—boats floating above soft waves with fishes swimming below, a rainbow stretching out across the far side wall and overlooking art of their guild, snowmen and igloos and penguins all dotted around as specks of glittery white fell down on them — every wall is different and is its own little story.

Tilting her head up to the ceiling, she sees clouds and a big yellow sun in the centre, its rays meeting the edges of the room and tumbling down the walls in bright patterns, like gold falling from the sky.

In the middle of the room, there is a white cot, and as she steps forward to get a closer look, she sees that hanging just above is an ice-made mobile, glinting in the light and crafted into shapes of different snowflakes by experienced and precise hands. She reaches to touch one, and when it jingles softly in her ears, she feels a lump rise in her throat.

For a moment, she stands in awe, glancing around the room once more, taking in every small detail of what was to be their child's nursery — and then she hears his voice.

"Well, what d'ya think?"

Gray is still stood beside her, arms folded, a big smirk on his face. Only now does she see the splotches of paint on his clothes, and only now do her eyes fill with tears.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia flies into his side, wrapping her arms around him and pressing a kiss to his lips. "This is so beautiful!"

Smiling, he looks around the room at his work. Now that he had finished, the fact that they were having a child felt even more real. It was a strange feeling, knowing that there was going to be a little boy joining them soon, keeping them up at night, making them laugh, eventually calling the two of them 'mom' and 'dad'.

"Juvia loves her little family so much," she tells him, hugging the swell of her stomach. "And she cannot wait to be a parent."

A strange feeling, but one he welcomed all the same.

"Me too," he says, placing his hand over hers.


End file.
